Flirty and fun, the vegan-leather pleather skirt ($148) cleans up nicely with a tank in summer and tights and chunky boots when the temperature dips.

FAUX SURE

Making its debut this month, Free People’s exclusive vegan leather collection offers compassion without compromise. “Although it’s not made from animals, it still has that great look and feel of real leather so it feels soft,” a designer states in the video. “It has that sort of texture and rumpled look of leather, but it’s totally animal-free.”

The ersatz cowhide may eventually go into permanent rotation.

Depending on its reception, the ersatz cowhide may eventually go into permanent rotation. “Hopefully, if we get a good read on the jacket and the short and the pant and the skirt, we’ll continue to design into vegan leather as a seasonless concept for Free People, in new fabrics and washes and colors that are trendy,” she adds. “We know that real leather sells really well for Free People, and we’re hoping that vegan leather will sell just as well.”